HTC Vive Cosmos VR Headset Ships on October 3 for a Price of $700

HTC’s high-end virtual reality headset, the HTC Vive Cosmos, is shipping on October 3rd for a price of $699. The preorders for the headset have already been opened today.

The Vive Cosmos virtual reality headset was originally unveiled during the CES 2019 early this year. It is HTC’s latest attempt to shatter the ceiling of a suitable consumer-friendly virtual reality headset that is reasonably priced and with great specs.

Vive Cosmos Headset

Unlike the original HTC Vive virtual reality headset, the Vive Cosmos will not need external sensors and it will rely on fully tracked motion controllers. The LCD panel have also undergone an upgrade and it now has a combined resolution of 2,880 x 1,700, a 110-degree field-of-view along with a 90Hz refresh rate.

The Vive Cosmos will have the feel of a new generation virtual reality headset. At $700, the price is still steep considering the second generation of Oculus headsets launched at just $399. However, the price is still below the $800 at which the HTC Vive headsets first entered the market in 2016.

The Vive Cosmos utilizes inside-out tracking and headset is also designed with flip-up goggles, enabling wearers to take breaks from virtual reality without having to take off the entire headset. The most significant new feature in the headset design is its modular faceplate that lets wearers customize the headset over a time by adding extra functionality. HTC has in the past hinted that it would be possible to link the Vive Cosmos virtual reality headset with a smartphone in the future. However, the company today launched an External Tracking Mod for the headset which will enable users to use the virtual reality headset with their existing Lighthouse base stations so as to enable full 360-degree tracking as well as Vive Tracker support. The Vive Cosmos virtual reality headset will also have compatibility with the Vive Wireless Adapter.

Vive Cosmos External Tracking Mod

This will be HTC’s first VR headset which will be shipping with the company’s new Vive Reality System rather than SteamVR. Additionally, HTC has rebuilt a new redesigned user interface called Lens that allows users to navigate the XR Viveport Infinity apps. Users who pre-order the headset by October 2 will also get it bundled with a 12-month Viveport Infinity subscription. The pre-orders are open immediately and the device ships on October 3rd for a price of $699.

With the Cosmos launch, HTC is staking its claim with a premium virtual reality headset for the mass market that is aimed at making VR more accessible, better quality and easier to use. The Vive Cosmos will give users an alternative to the Oculus Rift S which also has similar specs. If you are looking for a wired virtual reality headset with better resolution and which will not cost an arm and leg, then this will be ideal choice. Compare to the Rift S, however, the price difference is still substantial. Its main edge could be in the fact that the original Vive headset had been a success in spite of being much costlier than the original Rift.

The modular faceplate also means that the headset can change over time by incorporating additional functionality likely the newly unveiled Vive Cosmos External Mod without having to redesign and relaunch new hardware. The mod utilizes external laser-based sensors which were shipped with the original HTC Vive headsets. The Vive Cosmos on the other hand normally uses inside-out tracking where the sensor cameras are fitted on the headset itself. However, the mod has been created who do not trust the inside-out tracking by six cameras and would rather use external tracking.

http://virtualrealitytimes.com/2019/09/12/htc-vive-cosmos-vr-headset-ships-on-october-3-for-a-price-of-700/http://virtualrealitytimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Original-Vive-Cosmos-Design-Shown-at-the-CES-2019-600×343.pnghttp://virtualrealitytimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Original-Vive-Cosmos-Design-Shown-at-the-CES-2019-150×90.png2019-09-12T19:09:51+00:00Sam OchanjiHardwareHTC Vive CosmosTechnologyVR HeadsetsHTC’s high-end virtual reality headset, the HTC Vive Cosmos, is shipping on October 3rd for a price of $699. The preorders for the headset have already been opened today.

The Vive Cosmos virtual reality headset was originally unveiled during the CES 2019 early this year. It is HTC’s latest attempt…Sam OchanjiSam